The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-07-30
THE EXPERTS REPORT.

The News-Miner has of late de-
voted considerable of its space in
criticism of the Board of County
Commissioners in regard to the
action taken concerning the report
Of the committee of experts who
examined the books of the various
officials whose terms expired in
January last. The extreme solicit
tude displayed by the News-Miner
in the interest of the taxpayers
comes a little late when it is taken
i'm consideration that until after the
county printing had been awarded
to rival, it had no word to say
and was apparently indifferent as
to whether the committee report
should be regarded as public or
private property or ever saw the
light of day. 1t now asserts
that the County Commissioners
have never authorized the District
Attorney to commence suit for the
recovery of the illegal fees collected,
Notwithstanding the fact that such
an order is a matter of record on
the minutes Of the Board, and the
editor of the News Miner has seen
for himself such order, but has re-
Trained from making any acknowl-
edgment of his error. The burthcn
of complaint on the part of the
News Miner appears to be that its
representative has not been allowed
to see the report but from the tone
of the various articles in that paper
it appears more than likely that
the author has been allowed to be
ruse it, the opportunity to do SC
being granted by some one in viola
ton to instructions given by the
Commissioners. No one will deny
that the report is public property
1t does not require any learned
profound and astute opinion " of q
County Commissioner to impress
this upon the mind of the people
So is an indictment found by G
grand jury public property, belong
ing to the people, but publicity is
denied until the ends of justice ar,
served. The Commissioners very
wisely have decided to withhold
the report pending the commence
ment of civil suits against such %
the officials that are shown to have
defrauded the county by the collec
ton of illegal fees. To give public
ity to the report now, would b'
playing in the hands of the derelic
j officials and in all likelihood b,
the means of defeating the ends o
Justice. That the suits for the re
covery of the alleged fees collected
have not been instituted before thi
is not the fault of the Commission
ers but lies with the District Attor
ney, who has been so busy tina
he could only find time to draw
his breath and his salary. III
has been instructed TO commenc
civil proceedings, but so far ha
failed to do so. The plain facts O
. the case are that he wants t.
f prosecute a democrat and shield
| republican, as his recent attempt t
secure an indictment before tn
, grand jury clearly demonstrate:
The entire course of District a,
' torney Roberts in this matter ha
: been reprehensible and so transps
: rent that it has become commo
e talk. SO far as the report of tn
: committee is concerned it will vi
2 doubtedly find its way to the pull
: lie files in due season. 1t was nc
e secured for any individual use c
q private benefit of the Commission
t ers. They certainly did not clair
: any such right and the expenditul
j of the money to meet the expen:
J, of the same will not be begrudge
# by any honest taxpayer when ii
$. result of the investigation is mao
: public. If the District Attorne
S does his duty the contents of II
d report will be made known in dl
S course of time and an effort mao
y to recover the large amount
: money alleged to have been i'll
e gally collected.